The federal cabinet’s recent decision to increase the cost of 146 life-saving medications is a big, if divisive, step towards solving the long-standing drug pricing problem. A price increase was unavoidable after multiple rounds of negotiations. Subsidies in addition to this targeted increase may lessen the impact on customers. A more nuanced approach must be taken, even though the price increase is an appropriate response to the current economic situation. A healthcare system where everyone, regardless of financial situation, has affordable and easy access to life-saving medications should be the ultimate goal.

The online sale of tickets for the ninth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will begin on Tuesday. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board, fans can book tickets online by visiting the PCB website, while the sale of tickets from various branches of the courier company will start from February 12. For PSL matches, the price of tickets for general enclosures has been fixed at Rs. The ticket price for premium enclosures is Rs 2500 and for VIP enclosures is Rs 5000. The price of tickets for the eliminator matches has been fixed at Rs.750, Rs.1500, Rs.3000 and Rs.5000.

As citizens struggle to navigate power outages and intense urban flooding due to poor drainage, the internet has erupted with concern and humour at the yearly collapse of infrastructure. “Obligatory Karachi urban flooding gutter fountain video,” the caption reads. “Karachi flooding within 10 minutes of rain? karachi flooding within 10 minutes of rain? “I get Karachi because I, too, am prone to sudden breakdowns and downpours,” expressed one X user.

Pakistan’s national debt has shot up to almost 75% of GDP in the latest finance ministry report on the subject. Still, the billions they spend on debt servicing could also be put to better use investing in the economy and citizen services. Meanwhile, debt spending can imply economic mismanagement and have disastrous consequences when it is towards non-development expenditure, such as covering pension fund gaps, rather than education, health and infrastructure, which pay themselves off by stimulating economic growth. Pakistan, on the other hand, has also seen foreign debt steadily creep up, and paying it off — or even reining it in — is impossible without corresponding GDP growth and improvements in the balance of trade. Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

From Tribune staff reportsTRUSSVILLE — Another new trial date has been set for a Trussville woman who was charged with aggravated child abuse and attempted murder. According to court documents, Kala Kameron Blakely’s trial date has been set for August 26, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. Circuit Judge Kandice Pickett granted a continuance from the previous trial date which was April 15, 2024. One for aggravated child abuse and another for attempted murder. Blakely was charged with aggravated child abuse of a non-family member.

ISLAMABAD: The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) on Friday approved the demerger of the national airline PIA into two entities without getting the valuation from the financial advisor, while the new liabilities of Rs. These remaining dues will be settled through privatization of PIA and budgetary allocations. The Privatization Commission is expected to present a detailed summary before the Cabinet meeting by next Tuesday or Wednesday. The overseas assets, including the Roosevelt Hotel and a hotel in Paris, will be developed and no overseas assets will be sold in the Qazi business deal of PIA, he said, adding that both these overseas assets will also be held by the holding company. He said that buyers are expressing their interest in PIA and they have also been informing the financial advisor about their interest.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday escalated his verbal onslaught against PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, accusing him of attempting to make inroads into Sindh – his party's fortress – by establishing "a puppet government" in the province. The PPP chairman charged the PML-N for allegedly conspiring to trigger hatred and division among the people in Mirpurkhas as well as for having prepared a rigging plan. He argued that the party wanted to repeat the political violence, giving examples of two recent violent incidents in Karachi. He requested the party workers and supporters to remain at the polling stations until the presiding officers provided Form-45 for the PPP candidates. Bilawal reiterated that Nawaz wanted to rig the elections in other parts of the country like Multan and Khuzdar as well.

Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif on Saturday declared his unyielding commitment to stabilising Pakistan, vowing not to rest until the nation overcame economic challenges. Zeroing in on the youth – a demographic often viewed as the PTI's voter base – Nawaz confidently claimed the young people of Pakistan were rallying behind the PML-N."We will not rest until Pakistan becomes stable. Read more: Nawaz ‘na khappay’, Bilawal’s slogan echoes at rallyThe former prime minister expressed his concerns regarding the negative narrative propagated on social media. That’s why Nawaz Sharif loves you,” the former prime minister told a rally in Faisalabad on Friday. "If Nawaz Sharif had promised five million houses, he would have definitely deliver,” she claimed.

ISLAMABAD: A merchant-friendly mobile app has been approved to bring crores of retailers in the country into the tax net. The merchant-friendly app approved to bring retailers into the tax net will automatically calculate monthly tax payments, the app will keep records and facilitate payment to the shopkeeper. The app will levy up to 10 percent of the annual rent of the shop while the scheme is expected to be announced anytime. On the other hand, online retailers are also being considered to be brought into the tax net

Bakersfield Condors vs. Texas Stars Game Report: So you’re saying there’s a chance? Photo credit: twitter.com/Condors

From Tribune staff reportsTRUSSVILLE — Hewitt-Trussville High School graduate Isabella Hall is the newest hire at Trussville Fire and Rescue. Her path to her new career all started with specialized classes at her high school which she is now following up with more career targeted classes at Jefferson State Community College. She attended Hewitt High School where she completed EMT Basic through the Health Science Program. Hall currently lives in Trussville and has been volunteering on C Shift at Station 1 since July of 2023. “We are glad to have Isabella join us at Trussville Fire and Rescue and look forward to working with her throughout her career.” Chief Tim Shotts said.

Students are unable to study at night, and education is crucial for the prog­ress of any nation. It is disheartening to note that, in this modern era, people are de­prived of electricity. It is being said these days that the Neelam Jhe­lum hydropower project is off due to some repair work, leading to the electricity shortfall. We often read in newspapers that electricity is expensive be­cause the government has to pay a substantial amount of mon­ey to independent power plants for their power creation capaci­ty. Consumers are giv­en hefty bills to pay, but electrici­ty is not available.

PESHAWAR - The health department has finalized a health contingency plan to address potential emergencies during the upcoming elections. As part of the plan, a control room will be established, consisting of doctors and paramedics. On February 8, a team of 10 doctors will be on duty in the control room, with five doctors performing duties on February 9. During the general elections, an emergency will be declared in all public sector hospitals across all districts. District health officers have been instructed to coordinate with the relevant administration.

Mardan - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarian (PTI-P) provincial leader Syeda Nazia Shah anticipates a decisive victory for PTI-P in the 2024 general election in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Speaking at a women’s convention in Mardan, she underscored the commitment to bring peace, development, and prosperity to the province under the leadership of former Chief Minister Perviz Khattak. Addressing a gathering of enthusiastic women party members, Nazia Shah delved into the political landscape, election dynamics, and the specific challenges facing the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in Mardan district. She emphasized the revolutionary initiatives and development projects spearheaded by Perviz Khattak, aligning with the PTI-P manifesto. Nazia Shah asserted that a PTI-P majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would address key challenges faced by women and steer the province towards development under the leadership of the party’s chairman, Pervaiz Khattak.

PTI Imran KhanIncarcerated former premier Imran Khan denounced his back-to-back convictions as ‘frivolous’ on Friday and urged his party supporters to ‘wield their votes as their weapons’ on February 8. He pointed out the serious nature of the cypher case, warning about foreign interference in Pakistan’s internal matters. Despite being convicted in the Toshakhana case, Imran claimed financial integrity and asserted that the case was fabricated due to a lack of evidence of financial corruption against him. Imran said that the case accusing him of marrying Bushra Bibi, his third wife, in an un-Islamic manner was now being expedited. Therefore, they are concluding it in haste without an iota of fairness in the trial just to announce me guilty.”